The total number of green cards issued per year per preference category is an important data point for people waiting in line for a green card. Together with the pending I-485 inventory, we can estimate our wait time with (slightly) better accuracy.

The data below contain green card statistics released every year by the
Department of State. We re-arranged them by preference category so that they
match the format of visa bulletins. The data include both immigrant visas
issued by DOS through consular processing, and I-485 Adjustment of Status
applications processed by USCIS. Primary applicants and their derivative
dependents are all covered, including both employment-based and family-sponsored
categories. What is not included in the data is groups not subject to visa
number limitations, such as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.

The total number of green cards issued is for a given fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Obviously, it would be best if we had the monthly breakdown, but that information is not available. And we know the number of applications processed each month doesn't stay consistent at all throughout the year. In addition, other factors such as "visa number spill-over" can significantly change the total count from one year to another. These must be taken into consideration when the data are used for any type of calculations or analyses.

Employment-Based

ROW

China

India

Mexico

Philippines

Sub-Total

EB1

25302

6741

6741

1835

407

41026

EB2

24427

6505

19961

817

2162

53872

EB3

22120

3513

2856

5983

3197

37669

EB3-Other

2208

163

180

1757

454

4762

EB4

5928

71

624

768

441

7832

EB4-Religious

2692

27

200

175

122

3216

EB5

216

69

18

18

3

324

EB5-Pilot

1

0

0

0

0

1

EB5-Regional

781

703

44

32

0

1560

Total-EB

83675

17792

30624

11385

6786

150262

Family-Sponsored

ROW

China

India

Mexico

Philippines

Sub-Total

F1

24896

973

866

1512

1414

29661

F2A

29615

1616

1433

24203

3785

60652

F2B

25076

726

246

1728

7355

35131

F3

26355

2115

3401

1707

2680

36258

F4

36113

9121

10076

4693

4946

64949

Total-FB

142055

14551

16022

33843

20180

226651

Description:

ROW: Rest of World (All countries and regions except those listed separately, such as China-mainland born and India).

China: China-mainland born.

Employment-based:

EB1: Priority Workers

EB2: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability

EB3: Skilled Workers and Professionals (not including Schedule A workers)